Thirty Seconds: How an Unexpected Encounter Made a World of Difference

By Pamela Schaafsma, Norah Pakai and Patrick

Discover how we too can experience the true happiness sometimes thought to be unattainable.

It all starts in a small town in Zimbabwe, when Patrick bumps into an American tourist. From a bleak, dreary place in Africa, Patrick displays pure contentment. Follow along as events unfold and we get to know this mysterious man from across the globe. Patrick is the ultimate pen pal, as he shines intensely bright from a desolate place of darkness. We observe and wonder how he has learned to be truly content in the midst of seemingly hopeless situations.

His beam of brightness reaches across the ocean, touching ordinary people and refocusing purpose and meaning back into what we were meant for.

• Language: English
• Publisher: WestBow Press
• Release date: Jul 11, 2014
• ISBN: 9781490838847

Pamela Schaafsma

Dan and Pam Schaafsma live with their 3 children in Grand Rapids, Michigan. As life produces trials and challenges, Pam is learning to lean on God for strength as He works to realign her priorities to match His. Learning how God uses ordinary people through this experience, Pam continues to observe God working in extraordinary ways. She can’t help but to share, with joy, the story of her dear friend, Patrick. Patrick and Norah Pakai, along with their children, are currently living in Mkoba, a suburb of Gweru, Zimbabwe. As a young boy, Patrick grew up amongst many heinous and desperate conditions. He is currently an associate pastor with his local church and has authored articles published in the Grace & Truth Magazine. Patrick and his family are honored to share their life stories with you. To God be the glory for all things He has done!

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Copyright © 2014 Pamela Schaafsma.

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Scripture taken from the King James Version of the Bible.

Scriptures taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. www.zondervan.com The NIV and New International Version are trademarks registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by Biblica, Inc.™ All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version® (ESV®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright 1996, 2004. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189. All rights reserved.

Scripture taken from the New King James Version. Copyright 1979, 1980, 1982 by Thomas Nelson, inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations taken from the 21st Century King James Version®, copyright © 1994. Used by permission of Deuel Enterprises, Inc., Gary, SD 57237. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations taken from the New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission." (www.Lockman.org)

Author Credits: Edited by Elizabeth Banks and April Kelcy

WestBow Press

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Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.

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ISBN: 978-1-4908-3883-0 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-4908-3885-4 (hc)

ISBN: 978-1-4908-3884-7 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2014910263

WestBow Press rev. date: 07/09/2014

Contents

Dedication

Acknowledgements

Foreword

Preface

Chapter One: A Little Boy Named Patrick

Chapter Two: Vicki’s Alarm

Chapter Three: What’s on Your Bucket List? Perhaps a Trip to Africa?

Chapter Four: Vacation for Ryan

Chapter Five: Headlines in the News

Chapter Six: The Beginning of Patrick’s Hardships

Chapter Seven: Patrick’s Passion to Serve

Chapter Eight: Patrick’s Daily Struggles as the New Normal

Chapter Nine: Pam Ponders the Power of Tuna

Chapter Ten: Lori Gets a New Friend

Chapter Eleven: Patrick’s Prayer Warriors

Chapter Twelve: So Without Much Ado Introducing: My Friend Patrick

Chapter Thirteen: The Death of My Father in 1975

Chapter Fourteen: Breaking News

Chapter Fifteen: At My Grandfather’s Place

Chapter Sixteen: Hard Places Are for the Glory of God

Chapter Seventeen: Breaking News

Chapter Eighteen: Lessons from Job

Chapter Nineteen: How I Was Born Again

Chapter Twenty: Excuse Me for Sounding Stupid, but What Is… ?

Chapter Twenty-One: Sweet Norah

Chapter Twenty Two: Patrick’s First Experience in Harare 1991

Chapter Twenty Three: Patrick’s Life in Gweru 1991

Chapter Twenty Four: Is Anything Too Hard For Me?

Chapter Twenty Five

Chapter Twenty Six: Norah Gets Engaged!!!!

Chapter Twenty Seven: The Blessing

Chapter Twenty Eight: Grief Too Painful

Chapter Twenty Nine: Norah’s God Is Able

Chapter Thirty: Now What?

Dedication

"For as the soil makes the sprout come up

and a gardener causes seeds to grow,

So the Sovereign Lord will make righteousness

and praise spring up before all nations."

(Isaiah 61:11 NIV)

Acknowledgements

Because of the precious patience and understanding from my sweet family, I was able to dedicate a fair amount of time apart from them in completing this project. My best friend and husband Dan, along with my children Jeff, Steven and Emily; have always been my cherished priority following my first priority to God. I am so thankful and blessed that they understood my need to spend time on what I felt compelled to accomplish. They showed support by being willing to wade through many papers strewn across our home and tolerating the view of the backside of a laptop, as it was in front of me much of the time. They demonstrated their respect for this project by tip toeing past a closed door where I would hide to find a quiet place to work. I love them so very much. They are a tremendous part of my life, and I thank each one of them for seeing this through with me.

I also would like to thank the Pakai family. They were very accommodating and transparent with me as I chiseled away and bombarded them with countless questions. They were open and willing to share their entire life with me as I needed to satisfy my curiosity. Because of their willingness to share, I have found to love them as if they were my own homegrown family.

Furthermore, I feel a profound thankfulness to our parents. Thank you for paving the way as examples of what it looks like to follow Christ. By providing the foundation of the Truth found in the Bible starting at a very young age. I find as I grow older that those same exact Truths that I learned back then, are still the primary source of my comfort and strength today.

Life is hard. It can be lonely. Life can be so overwhelmingly painful. I cannot fathom walking through this life alone, apart from my Ultimate Best Friend, Jesus Christ. The most important acknowledgement goes to Him for He should get all the credit and glory. Not only for making this project come together, but also for bringing me through so many difficult circumstances throughout my own life.

I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.

(Philippians 4:13 KJV)

Foreword

At one time or another, all of us wonder how God is working in people’s lives today. We know from reading the Bible that He spoke directly to Moses, and the Israelites were freed from slavery in Egypt; that He spoke through prophets like Jonah and a whole nation of Nineveh repented; and He spoke through an angel and the world was introduced to the Savior.

And He continues to speak to us today through His Word, using evangelists, preachers and teachers by every communications media available. Over the years I have been privileged to be part of God’s work in spreading the Gospel via radio (shortwave in Western Africa), print (12 languages in 3rd world nations) and an internet website (worldwide).

But what about the various social media platforms people are using today? Does God ever use them and us to do His work via social media such as e-mail, Facebook, Twitter and text messages? Yes, He does! And this book, THIRTY SECONDS, is a dynamic, informal and personal account of how God is using social media to work miracles in the lives of a few of His people in Michigan and a family in Zimbabwe.

Though we’ve never met face to face, Patrick Pakai and I have been e-mail friends since 2010. As I recall, this assistant pastor first contacted me asking for prayer for his family and his country, as well as a free subscription to Grace & Truth Magazine, the monthly I edited for 13 years before retiring. His e-mails were so touching that I invited him to submit an article for publication. Since then he has had several articles published.

It was through my connection with Patrick that I came in contact with Pam Schaafsma. What a blessing it has been to read about how God has connected them and their families, for His glory and their mutual and continuing blessing. This book is an exciting true-life story of how God’s grace, mercy, love and compassion blend together to accomplish minor miracles in the lives of ordinary Christians who respond to His call to do His will.

Larry Ondrejack

Preface

I would like to start off by making it clear that the story you are about to read really never was intended to be a story. When it became clear that someone should share these events, I felt it was somewhat my responsibility and my privileged duty to tell whoever would be willing to hear. Ordinary people, like me, don’t usually decide one day to sit down and write a book. But I want to introduce you to my friend, who has an incredible testimony.

We hope and pray for your heart and your eyes to be opened to see how God can use ordinary people. Only the Power that comes from the One True God, can explain how these lives have been knit together in such a way.It will undoubtedly change your life.

By observing one man, a world away, I’ve seen how small our world is getting. Through his shining demonstration of his love for God and his desire to share it with others, his beam of light reaches over the ocean to shine from Africa. With the internet’s constant evolution, the gap between distant communities is closing. For the first time, access to an information highway opens up, allowing those in faraway, remote places to connect with the outside world like never before.

Unfortunately, I am also sadly aware of potential dangers the internet can expose us to. We hear stories every day about people who have believed the clever lies from posers on the internet, adversely affecting them financially. Desperate times create desperate people who survive by taking advantage of a trusting soul on the other end, like a worm on a hook. Those people are out for selfish gain, for whatever reason. Whether it is for the lining of their pockets or to simply survive, their souls do not see the human suffering that lies in their wake. Their reasons seem to justify the plunder they ruthlessly acquire. With that being said, the enormous risk of trusting this particular stranger, was never far from my mind. Many times, doubt would creep into my thoughts. But without fail, somehow, someway, God confirmed to me over and over that this person is genuine. This stranger became my friend. That friend became my family.

In the same breath, I can tell you by witnessing unexplainable things, how God can also use this technology for His glory. It may contribute to the gathering of family members. Could God use this technology to bless His family, the believers in Christ, from all corners of the earth? Maybe this is giving us a taste test now of the sweet fellowship He is preparing for us in Heaven?

Constant doubt, with constant reaffirmation, played tug of war with the looming question: Who is this person? The more I discovered who this person was, it again nagged at me, tugging on my heart—I need to share this person with you.

Unlike the missionary who travels to unknown lands, willing to sacrifice the American Dream to share the gospel with those who need to hear about Jesus, I live in a safe little town, surrounded by familiar people. While still in my safe little town, through using my computer, I formed a friendship with someone from a distant unfamiliar land. I now realize the blessings God has brought to me. I had been handicapped in my way of thinking. Not able to see the difference between wants and needs. My thoughts and priorities are starting to change, my needs are changing.

As my eyes are opening to our dismal dissatisfaction with the things we have obtained, I recognize how blessed I am—beyond measure. Yet what I’ve discovered is that the beyond measure part is revealed to me every day as I find new blessings. It has always been fascinating to me to witness people, who seem to have nothing, yet possess the truest contentment and happiness. Aren’t both happiness and joy the ingredients that we all search for? We can all find this same contentment and discover the true joy that our souls thirst for.

I am excited to share this story with you. This is not just our story. This is Patrick’s story. This is ultimately God’s story.

Had to wake several times thinking of the project ahead of us, am so excited Pam.

"For this reason I kneel before the Father, from whom his whole family in heaven and on earth derives its name. I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you being rooted and established in love, may have power together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.

Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen

(Ephesians 3:14–21 NIV).

Remember we love you more as a family.

—Patrick and Norah

Chapter One

A Little Boy Named Patrick

It was still dark, the morning air cool and crisp, and sleep heavy in my eyes, when I heard the sound of my father knocking on our door. The firm knocking was to announce another new day was beginning. Without fail, my father was the motivator who, like an alarm clock, woke us up every morning. As one of the sons living on my father’s farm, even at the tender age of three years old, we young ones were expected to work.

It was a bustling stream of commotion from the minute we rose from our huts. My father’s farm raises cattle, sheep, and goats, besides growing many vegetables. Mostly the animals survive on pasture land, and it was my older brothers who took turns moving the herds to new land. My job at such a young age was to help watch over the goats and the sheep.

I come from a very large family. I never thought much about it, as none of us had ever gone hungry. The thick white porridge we call Sadza was always plentiful at mealtime.

I worked in the fields with my brothers. I also never gave it a second thought that we all wore the same clothing. It was perfectly normal to wear just a single tattered cloth covering only our front side. You see, I was born in a rural place—a beautiful place—in Africa.

At a tender age, I heard my father at mealtimes telling stories to my mother. He loved to tell stories, and he liked to make us laugh. He was a funny man. I loved my father. Our family was very competitive, jockeying for position to find favor with him, as I suppose most siblings do. But our family competitions were anything but friendly. It was clear that any mistreatment to me or my immediate siblings was done out of hatred. It was apparent that my mother found favor in my father’s eyes. This bred a strong jealousy among the other family members.

I was extremely heartbroken when my father became ill. He was sent away from our farm, with the expectation of him returning back to us healed.

I never saw him awake again.

As a three-year-old boy, through my young eyes, I was overjoyed to see my father come back to us again. But there was much confusion because I had never seen anyone carried like they were carrying him on the day he returned. Still, my father was back! I had missed him so much. The farm hadn’t been the same without his dependable morning raps on the door. He was in a deep, deep sleep. Of course, he must still be sick, but with much rest, I was confident he would eventually wake up.

I couldn’t figure out what all the fuss was about when many visitors came to watch him sleep. Why are they all crying? This is supposed to be a happy time because he finally came back home! Won’t they all feel silly when he wakes up and sees them all crying? He will laugh and laugh at these people.

What is this now? Why are they placing my father in this hole that has been freshly dug into the sand? Each one of us children, young and old, were brought to this hole where they had lowered my sleeping father. As the confusion grew, my anger grew. Why are they doing this? Why isn’t anyone doing anything to stop this insanity of putting my beloved father in a cold, dark hole in the ground? Somebody stop this now! My brother must have felt the same as me. He lunged forward, closing his teeth on the nearest man next to him, who was shoveling sand over top of my father, and bit him.

That was 1975.

What was I going to do without the person who loved me and protected me from the jealous ones?

Life from that day forward would never be the same. No more of his funny stories with the laughter that followed. No more of his knocks on our door in the wee hours of morning. He was not only the strong leader of our family, but he was also the leader over our entire farm. This man was how we survived.

And now he was gone.

I don’t understand …

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Chapter Two

Vicki’s Alarm

What is man that you are mindful of him, the son of man that you care for him? (Psalm 8:4 ESV)

Awe and wonder are two words often used to describe God. Yet I believe there is another word that describes Him perfectly—that word is indescribable! How He works and He orchestrates events, down to the most intricate detail, is mind boggling.

We as humans are incapable of understanding how He does this, but God has every piece of His grand plan perfectly in place. When He chooses us to be part of His plan—well, things get very interesting indeed! He is so very huge and yet so very intimate. It was David who said: My whole being will exclaim, ‘Who is like you, O LORD?’ (Psalm 35:10 NIV).

I say, yes! Yes, who is like You, Lord?

Have you ever woken up early in the morning hours, only to be unable to fall back to sleep? A few years ago, I learned that this is the time when God will often awaken someone during the fourth watch of the night, between three and six in the morning.

This term, fourth watch, originated from the Romans, who divided the night into four separate watches. The guards could not stand on watch the entire night. They named the time just prior to dawn the fourth watch.

Why does God wake us at this time? He wants us to spend time with Him. He wants nothing more than our time, yours and mine. Why is that the most difficult thing to give away? It’s the most precious thing; we can’t put a value on it. He is longing, yearning for us to give Him our time by talking to Him with a time of prayer and intimacy. Even if the amount of time we give Him is only thirty seconds, He even desires those thirty seconds.

I’ve learned to ask God during those fourth-watch alerts what or who He wants me to pray for, especially after my prayer to fall back to sleep is answered with a no. Sometimes I feel led to pray for a specific person or situation. Within moments after He has placed a name or situation into my mind, I’ve learned to recognize who or what I need to pray for.

What amazes me is that so often He shows me a peek of the story behind whom or what I am burdened to pray for